I don’t care how much that man thinks he knows about trains. Those gates were lowered so techinically he was trespassing on railroad property. I have encountered those types of railfans before, who think because they have general knowledge of railroading they think they can do whatever they want around railroads. One “railfan” forgot about the cardinal rule of railroading: expect a train on any track at any time. He and his friends were riding their quads along our right of way (tearing up our ballast in the process) and his got stuck inside the guage of the tracks. Our train came around the corner and stopped 3 feet shy of the quad. When our engineer questioned him to explain why he was on railroad property, he said he knew all about trains and saw the train pass through once and thought we were done for the day. Hah! In the ten plus years we have been in operation our trains pass along that patch of track more than five times daily on weekends. So his knowledge about trains could have gotten him killed.
This guy likes to here himself talk he doesnt even call out what type of locos they are! Also in the first video that was really stupid if there would have been another train he would have been done for! BTW in the first vid he said container thingys that was kind of funny right there.
Kind of reminds me of the old definition of an “expert.”
Somebody who learns more and more about less and less until he knows everything there is to know about nothing.
Or, in this case, virtually nothing at all about anything. An absolute gold mine of misinformation.
Chuck
I guess they never heard of Bernoulli’s Law…
I’ll believe the show that has a multi-million dollar budget and got help from railroads while testing the myth.
Bernoulli’s law would require you to be in a tube, or tightly confined space with the train to create anything close to the pressure difference needed to suck you under a train.
In a tunnel, and possible on a enclosed platform with very, very tight clearance, you may feel a rise in air pressure as the train approached, followed by a slight lowering of air pressure as it passed, but not enough to overcome the effect of gravity.
If trains created a vacuum in their wake, or some form of suction during their passage, right of ways would be littered with every bit of trash around, and quite a few bodies would be recovered from subway systems daily.
Passenger operations place signs such as the one shown not because they fear you will be sucked under the train, but because they understand humans are rather graceless creatures who do silly things, like tripping and falling in front of moving trains, or getting close enough to have lose clothing get snagged by passing train.
They certainly are not going to post a sign that says," We know you are a klutz, so stay back away from the train".
Watch any of the old documentary films where the cameraman places his camera low and right next to the tracks, within a foot or so, for dramatic effect.
You will see all the dust and debris being blown away from the train, not sucked under it.
If trains created suction under their cars, then we would spend hours a day having to sweep all the dust and dirt out of the right of way.
Look at it this way…if trains created a vacuum, or some form of suction strong enough to pull a human off a platform, then the same effect should be strong enough to move the rocks in the ballast.
Which has greater mass and weight…an adult human, or a ¾" piece of rock?
Yet the ballast remains undisturbed, even under high speed trains.
Bernoulli’s law or equation has more to do with the restriction, compression and movement of fluids.</
Ok - I am ready for a science lesson. We park under a rather large, high overpass in the heat of summer since it is (duh) shady and usually has a nice breeze there.
We are not terribly close to passing trains (as Houston Ed can attest), probably almost a block from either set of tracks and yet when any train goes by - either east/west in front of us or straight south on one side of us - it changes our wind pattern.
The wind either stops altogether until the train passes or it causes more wind. Enough that I have to roll my window up. Is it really a train factor or my over active imagination?
And I think a sign with “We know you are a klutz, so stay back away from the trains” would be a good thing. They don’t seem to understand anything less direct.
Mrs. Mookie,
Yes, trains are physically big enough that they can block or redirect surface breezes.
I get stuck with one blocking the breeze off the gulf quite often, and with as hot as it is, I will switch to the other(breeze) side when pulling pins and switching in the yard.
…Good morning all: To continue with that notion of being “sucked” under the train. That saying has been around a long time…Can remember some place down in Maryland back in WWII we were in a small town RR station and I told my mom I was going outside as I heard a high speed passenger train coming and I wanted to be right there to witness it…Of course, as any kid into trains would…even at that age…about 11.
Next I see my Mom come rushing out telling me in so my words and pretty loud, to stay back or you will get “sucked into the train” or something like that.
And as I have pretty good memory of the incident…It was a fast express like passenger train {war time}, really flying…and can still “see” those rods flying around as it passed and making all kinds of noise and kicking up dirt…Wow, first I thought of that experience in a long time and it kinda still seems pretty “real”…
On the show all the light stuff, like baby carriages and things like that, get blow away from the train. I think the bigger problem is becoming disoriented or dizzy trying to focus on the moving train and falling or stumbling into it. I remember on a really old show on trains they were talking about working in the yard and that being the danger, in addition to anything that might be hanging off the car (I have seen a few metal bands sticking out from lumber loads) which would not be pleasant to be hit by. They mentioned that if you got into the really dangerous position of having trains moving on both sides of you to just lay down to avoid the chance of swaying into a moving train.
In the Washington DC Metro stations you definitely get the blow back effect multiplied by the tunnels. You can feel the pressure increase right before the train comes, then get the wind as it blows everything back. When they depart, depending on conditions and train length, you can get the low pressure event as the air rushes in behind the train as it blows down the tunnel.
We are taught that, if in between trains that are moving, if an incident of vertigo happens, to sit down dead center between the two sets of tracks, put our head between our knees and cover the back of our head/neck with our hands…to prevent any thing hanging from the trains from striking our head and to keep from losing you balance and falling into the moving trains.
I have only had one experience of this, while in between two trains moving in opposite directions…it really plays heck with your sense of balance and your perception of your own movement.
It also a good way to lose your lunch!
I, too, was told to lie down if I got caught like that–protecting my head sounds like a good idea. I have been between two trains in motion before (with my bike, no less!), but didn’t suffer any vertigo. However, I moved myself toward a place where the trains were further apart.
The “Mythbusters” show in question did have the cooperation of the folks in New Mexico who operate the “Rail-runner” commuter service, with runs at set speeds (apparently before regular service was begun).
The voice in the video sounds like Kermit the Frog.
Ed ; That person is definately not smarter than a fifth grader.
I’ll have to agree with the definition of clueless as far as that guy goes…
I loved his whole thing about witnessing the derailment, and having “a good sense of what these things can do at low or high speeds” or something like that…
He reminds me of someone I used to know who would open up his mouth on any subject, going on and on like he knew what he was talking about, and he had no clue at all. I guess some people just like to hear themselves talk…When I used to shoot video, I didn’t say a thing, kind of hard to concentrate on shooting while trying to talk.
Cliff Klavin, or RunsWithScissors?
Ahhh, Yes. The type of person that will give you an answer on any question ( although it may not be right).
that’s a bloody long train [wow]
ROFL…His name was Kevin… But, he sounded alot like Cliff, though…
Reminds me of “He’s a Legend in his own mind.”